46.13.0N 1.30.4W

 

11 May Fast sail to Ars en Re to be welcomed by the Goss-Custards

 

Depart Port Joinville 0730

Arrive Ars en Re 1700, 55 miles Max speed 10.5knts

 

Wind Wf4-6, some sun

 

Cast off and stuck in 2 reefs as forecast of f5 to 6 reach/run. Nice sail in lee of Ile D`Yeu (5/6knts) then met the f6 gusts and 2m NW swell. Steering v difficult as swell trying to catch me out and throw the stern one way or the other. Tiring (mentally and physically).  Jane providing lots of tea and bikis to keep skip alert.  V glad had decided not to come down yesterday when swell greater. Some good surfing moments. Nothing nasty. A  Frenchy came up from under our lee as we rounded Les Sables, to within about 40m. We were both sailing as free as we could on stbd gybe – D`fly had safe windward position, but couldn’t get ahead. We stayed about 30 to 50 m apart for 3 hours – both doing exactly the same speed – each of us trying to bear away as much as poss in the gusts, but neither getting ahead. No conversation. Couldn`t gybe under him as he was trailing lines – odd at making a good 6+knts. Getting towards the coast of Ile de Re seemed less helpful tide and wind, so slowed to gybe under him. Felt like more wind further offisland, and when we next met on opposite gybes D`fly well ahead. Smug skip! Goose winged last few miles as swell disappeared in lee of I de R.  Arrived approaches to the difficult Ars channel with enough water. Slow motor with some flood but strong headwind. A new stbd mark on the 265 approach, the bank around the perch must have shifted into the channel since our last visit. Load of space in our favourite Bassin de la Criee marina.  Remembered to go v v close to the “preferred channel to port” mark before turning hard stbd for the entry over the sill. Jane and John G-C  had already bussed out to Ars, awaiting our arrival.

 

12/13 May – J&J discovered the place – their first visit. Astra (Jan and Danuta) arrived – bumped  up the channel a bit early, and turned too soon for the sill.(Should have listened to the crew!) Party time. Lots of early evening visits to the Port Bar (for the wifi as well as the beer). Password is the boat name chalked on the ceiling.My initiation but everyone else seemed to know the bar well – must have been when skip flew back to work on our previous stops at Ars.  Cosy meal on D`fly, and more on Astra -  in company for several days. Got the Bromptons out and biked to the superm at Les Portes to get some bottles of Dragonfly Muscadet (Sevre et Maine, Sur Lie) – but disappointed as none on the usual shelf – got some other 4euro Muscadet instead.